This invention relates to an impregnator system and more particularly to an impregnator system including a plurality of independent pumps which are controlled by a batch control means to supply preselected amounts of chemical to a fertilizer blending apparatus.
Fertilizer blending systems are commonly used in agricultural areas to enable a plant operator to custom mix a fertilizer having the desired ingredients. The blending systems commonly include weigh hoppers, conveyors and mixing drums. After the fertilizer has been blended and mixed, the dry fertilizer is spread over the land by some sort of spreading mechanism.
In recent years, it has been found that the dry fertilizer could be impregnated with chemicals such as herbicides or the like so that the herbicide would be applied to the ground at the same time that the fertilizer was being spread. It is extremely important that the proper amount of chemical be mixed with the fertilizer and a common practice has been to simply pour or dump a predetermined quantity of the liquid chemical into the mixing drum after the dry fertilizer ingredients had been placed therein. The requirement that the liquid chemical be manually poured into the mixing drum involved considerable time and labor.
In an effort to somewhat automate the addition of the liquid chemical into the dry fertilizer ingredients, some blenders have employed single pumps which pump the chemical into the mixing drum. The single pumps are in communication with a tank of the liquid chemical which has a predetermined amount of liquid chemical therein. In other words, if it was determined that 25 gallons of herbicide should be mixed with the dry fertilizer ingredients, the tank in communication with the pump would be filled with 25 gallons of the herbicide and the pump activated until the tank had been emptied.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an impregnator system for use with a fertilizer blending system which is capable of supplying a predetermined chemical at a predetermined rate to the fertilizer mixing drum with a minimum of effort and with a maximum of accuracy.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an impregnator system which is reliable.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an impregnator system including a batch controller which enables the operator to dial the units of volume to be supplied to the fertilizer.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an impregnator system which results in substantial savings and labor and money.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.